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Apache Mall Donates $25K to Mayo Clinic

(ABC 6 News) -- The sesquicentennial anniversary, and a need in the community, motivated Mayo Clinic to start up the 150th Patient Care Fund. Now, the Apache Mall is also helping out. The Apache Mall is now the largest donor to the fund, donating $25,000.

Mayo Clinic created the fund to help patients, and their family members, with unexpected expenses. The idea was suggested to the fund’s committee by those who work closest with patients.

“We hear from our own staff, ‘Find a way to help our patients. Find a way to help their family members.’ And so to do that, we established a fund called the 150th Patient Care Fund to help people in ways above and beyond a medical bill,” said Dr. Kerry Olsen.

One patient, Cynthia Suhr, knows the importance of the fund, firsthand.

“I didn’t have income coming in because I was in the hospital and Mayo charities were able to help pick up a 700 to 800 dollar a month medicine tab,” said Suhr.

The Apache Mall, like many other local businesses, benefits from customers who visit Mayo.

“We do see that visitors come to Apache Mall when they’re doing their medical services here in Rochester,” said Apache Mall Manager Kim Bradley.

Now, it is returning the favor.

“It just felt good to do it for the patients and families that come into mayo clinic,” said Bradley.

The fund supports patients, and their families, not only here in Rochester, but across all Mayo Clinic locations.